Caribbean-American Heritage Month is a time to highlight the impact the rich culture has on our community.
Caribbean immigrants and their descendants have contributed to the United States in various ways from government, to entertainment, to food and more, but what some people don’t realize is the immense role the Caribbean has contributed to the adult beverage world.
Today, rum is a staple exported worldwide, but it was created centuries ago in the Caribbean and for a tourism hotspot like South Florida lined with bars and restaurants serving tasty cocktails, that addition of rum equals an economic impact.
"We know about the Mai-Tai, the Piña Colada, we know about our Rum Punch, Planters Punch, the Mojito which I know all of Florida goes crazy about and that's straight out of Cuba," said Sharmon Hinds-Smith, a mixologist from Jamaica.
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Through zoom, Hinds-Smith who is also the Bar and Beverage lecturer from the University of Technology Jamaica, shared the Caribbean’s influence to America’s adult beverage scene – rum.
"Rum is prolific across the Caribbean,” said Hinds-Smith. “We grow sugar cane here, it's not indigenous to the Caribbean but it flourishes here and that is the only ingredient that makes rum."
In the 17th century the Caribbean was the epicenter of the world’s sugar production. Sugar was made by crushing sugar cane and boiling the juices, but there was a large amount of excess: molasses.
"We use the molasses, add yeast to that and water,” said Hinds-Smith. “That creates fermentation."
According to Hinds-Smith that only yields about 5-8% alcohol. However, when you distill that liquid by heating it.
"That's where the magic happens,” said Hinds-Smith. “When it turns into vapor and condenses back to liquid, it goes up to as high as 80 percent alcohol."
That is just a slice of the history and science people in South Florida can learn at this year’s Taste of the Caribbean Islands Festival in Miramar.
"Expect authenticity from our tent," said Hinds-Smith. "I'm going to share a couple cocktails with those attending the festival, of course they will be rum based, but I'm going to make it easy for you so you can go home and try some of them."
Along with the food and beverage history, the festival will feature vendors, music and more for the entire family.
Taste of the Caribbean Islands is in Miramar on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and is free to the public.
